Tamar Science Park (TSP) has unveiled a powerful new team as part of its goal to be a focal point for business innovation and growth in Plymouth and across the wider South West Peninsula.

The appointments, which include three new Non-Executive Directors and a dedicated Business Development Director, reflect TSP’s role as a founding partner in GAIN (the Growth, Acceleration and Investment Network).

GAIN was set up by Plymouth University, Plymouth City Council and TSP to accelerate the creation, growth and investment in high quality businesses and ideas to create wealth and jobs in the region.

Highly experienced business development professional Andy Burroughs will join TSP in April in the new role of Business Development Director and will take the lead in broadening the Park’s services for business as well as developing TSP’s role as a hub for GAIN’s regional activities. He joins TSP from Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, where he is currently Director of Business Development.

The TSP Board is strengthened with the appointment of three heavyweight non-executive directors - John Acornley, Tony Everett and Andrew Southall. Between them they bring a huge range of expertise and experience of high level management across disciplines including high-tech manufacturing, investment, business advice, asset management, strategic planning, team building and operations management.

Simon Chamberlain, Chairman of Tamar Science Park, said the high calibre appointments reflected TSP’s ambition to be at the heart of driving GAIN’s enterprise mission and the ambitious growth plans of Plymouth and the South West Peninsula.

He said: “The high quality environment available to businesses in Tamar Science Park is well established. Our focus now is on providing a level of services to businesses that aren’t available at other science parks and which are geared towards attracting regional, UK and international businesses on to the Park as well as achieving TSP’s wider objectives within GAIN.

“It is about driving innovation and turning ideas into commercial reality, supporting businesses and people with ideas, to secure investment, achieve capital growth and create jobs.

“With the appointment of the new Business Development Director and our three new non-execs we now have a nationally recognised team of experts to lead this process.”

New services to be developed by TSP will include: a GAIN core network of mentors, investors, network leads and business advisors; investor panels to attract potential investors to the region; an investor readiness service to ensure businesses and people with ideas can present a compelling business case to investors; a business development fund; packaged commercial services such as legal, HR, accounts and ICT.

Councillor Ted Fry, Cabinet Member for Planning, Strategic Housing and Economic Growth at Plymouth City Council, said: “The city is cementing its reputation as a location for high-tech business and other companies are beginning to notice what we can offer.

“We are building a picture to attract investors, encourage innovation and share expertise among business. The Tamar Science Park is a critical piece of this picture and the new business development director will play a key role in making this happen. We welcome him on board.”

Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor and chief executive of Plymouth University, said: “The Tamar Science is an intrinsic part of our regional enterprise infrastructure, and has played a key role in supporting the development of the Peninsula Growth Acceleration and Investment Network.

“Home to more than 60 businesses, including several companies that have spun out of our world class research, as well as our new Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, TSP is a truly multi-disciplinary facility and has a proud legacy of growing and nurturing businesses in the City.

“With the new leadership team in place, we can look forward to TSP playing an even more strategic role in important sectors such as creative media, medicine and marine renewables.”

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